Love, Darcy – When Enough is Enough

Christmas is probably the biggest holiday celebration for most Christians. As a result, it has the potential to be a wonderful, worshipful, family time or a nightmare of humongous proportion. Or both! Preparation, as well as the principles of simplicity, flexibility and creativity, are key to eliminating some of the stress associated with the Christmas season. One of the questions parents often ask is “When is enough, enough?” Ah, the age old question in a world of abundance. How can we show our children how to be content and grateful for what they are given and remind them of the reason for this season? Here are a few suggestions that have worked for our family:

1. As you plan your Christmas shopping, set a budget for each child.
2. In order to make room for the new gifts, have them choose an equal amount of items that are in good condition to give to a charity.
3. Make sure that you model an attitude of cheerful giving rather than lament the work and money involved to bless others.
4. In order to let them experience the joy and responsibility of gift giving, have them do chores to earn enough money for a small but thoughtful gift for each member of their family.
5. Spend time each evening talking about the way God has blessed you and culminate the season with several nights of emphasis on God’s greatest gift, Jesus.
6. Use this time of year to teach and model to your children the joy of giving to others through opportunities to serve in your church and your community.
7. Keep the spirit of Christmas going by using these service opportunities as a spring board for what your family might do the rest of the year to help others.
8. When it comes to having a Christ-filled Christmas, lead with your grateful, generous, humble and others oriented attitude.

One of the ways to keep from breaking the bank at Christmas is to buy gifts all year long. That way, time and money is spread out. I try to mail out of state gifts the first week of December. And I try to have my shopping done by Dec. 1. We have two birthdays in December, so it helps to shop early. When it comes to keeping the green eyed “gimme” monster under control at Christmas time, it helps to be prepared and intentional about keeping the right focus and perspective. Have you come up with any additional ways to address this tendency toward greed at Christmas time?